Only the first means freedom. Actual innocence doesn't guarantee freedom, and actual guilt doesn't guarantee a loss of freedom. He's either innocent or guilty regardless of any court proceedings and regardless of anyone's opinion. I suspect most of "the authorities" share my well-founded belief that he's guilty, as it's based on facts that have been known to them for decades. I may be wrong, and I may be right. The fact that I believe he's guilty doesn't make him guilty, but the fact that he was released from prison doesn't make him innocent, either.
If we are getting abstract, innocence or guilt are purely man made concepts. Carter has been through 'hell' to prove in a modern society he is innocent, I would of thought even the most bitter Conservative would give him that...
You'd have to ask a conservative...I'm not one. Nor am I a liberal. Nothing abstract about the terms. If he did it, he's guilty, and if he didn't, he's innocent. I agree that he's been through hell, but if he's guilty, imo, it wasn't enough. He's a free man, and the dead are still dead. Of course, if he's actually innocent, he's been through way too much.
Actually Carter has not only NOT proven his innocence, he has not even attempted to. Now, the burden of proof isnt on Carter, I understand that, but lets not go and make up **** as we go along to make Carter look like a martyr.
I read The 16th Round as a youngster and for many years considered him innocent but have come to the point to see him as guilty for a lot of reasons. His lifestyle was less then a model of a good citizen, father, and husband. He hung out with "lowlifes". Out that fateful night drinking and crusin' with said lowlifes with wife and kids at home. He career was already on the downslide at the time, despite Dylan's lyrics but hey, Bob wrote eulogies about George Jackson and John Wesley Harding as well, a pair of scumbags. As previously mentioned was never found not-guilty. Was released temporarily? in 1976 and was in attendance at the Ali-Young scrap. Didn't he assault that female reporter earlier that day? But the most damning evidence comes from Ron Lipton, a former fighter, referee who considered Ruben his continuing friend years after the murders. He used to post extensively on another obsolete boxing website and is now convinced that his friend did the deed. He recalled watching a testimonial function after his release where various 'luminaries' were extolling his 'virtues' only to watch Ruben's body language thruout; stoic, with his head held low, obviously uncomfortable with everything they were saying about him. I could go on; you can google varies sites that go into detail event by event, times, evidence etc. that doesn't make it look very good for him. My $0.02.
Most cases (prosecution/plaintiff or defense) look good if you only see the one side. Relatively few cases, either civil or criminal, ever make it to trial; when one does, both sides almost always have some points in their favor. When you get that other side, it's not unusual to reconsider your position.
Personally I believe a certain Robert Zimmerman has more intelligence, integrity, and pure common sense than any scumbag politician, judge, lawyer, policeman, or their racist tame dogs. Therefore when he composes a 12 minute song proclaiming Rubin Carter's innocence I tend to believe him.
Probably not the wisest move: http://www.graphicwitness.com/carter/song.html "Zimmerman" doesn't even have the intelligence, integrity or common sense to bother to get his facts straight.
Great song, but the integrity sure wasn't on display when he wrote the lyrics. A few e.g. off the top of my head - the eyewitness did NOT say it wasn't Carter; Carter wasn't the #1 contender or close to it (relevant to the defense argument why would he throw away such a promising career?); it wasn't just the "all-white" jury agreeing OJ the verdict - the black jurors voted guilty, too...". I like Dylan, but the song is a total work of fiction.
@GOAT Primo Carnera @red cobra @LoadedGlove Do you believe Carter will ever be inducted into Canastota's IBHOF?
On the grounds of achievement in the ring, it would be difficult to justify. It was the US Judicial System that wronged him and owed him, not Boxing. Thanks for the shout.
I think because of the movie and song there's that remote chance. Ward has a way bigger chance of getting in IMO.
